Last updated: 25/02/2013 // Pål Anders Ullevålseter has been invited to Zambia in mid-March by David Reeve and his fans. The invitation shows their appreciation for the help given by the Norwegian to Reeve during Dakar Rally earlier this year. Ullevålseter will come for a friendly visit and to compete in the National Off-Road Championship which is said to be one of the toughest and most technically challenging races in the region.

David Reeve in Dakar Rally 2013. Photo: David Santos Jr
The dramatic story from Dakar rally has been described in Lowdown’s February edition under “Our man at Le Dakar”. The article highlights how the Dakar incidence, when Reeve ended up with a broken leg, also restored faith in the innate goodness of mankind. Ullevålseter who was riding behind Reeve saw that he was in a state of shock and stopped to press the red button installed on each bike to get help. That a fellow rider would stop and help is not necessarily a given at Dakar and Ullevålseter lost valuable time. To show their appreciation Reeve’s supporters have gone together to raise money to bring Ullevålseter to Zambia.

The National Off-Road Championship

During his visit to Zambia Ullevålseter will attend the National Off-Road Championship, where the Tom Reeve Memorial Trophy is awarded to the winner. Tom Reeve is David Reeve’s father and this event is run in his memory because of his valuable contribution to motorsport in Zambia and in particular off road motorcycling. The setting is the Reeve family farm, Dorvic which is located near Mazabuka, south of Lusaka.

The Championship is the premier event in the Zambian off-road calendar and is by far the most difficult and it is regarded as being the toughest and most technically challenging with virtually every terrain being encountered in one loop. Riders are taken through majestic mountain scenery and have to cope with long rocky ascents and descents, river crossings, mud and clay sections, open flat areas and they need to dodge trees in the forest sections. They pass through local villages and get cheered on and assisted by enthusiastic locals. One can literally follow a popular riders progress from up in the mountains by listening to the locals as they cheer through certain points of the track. One is certainly in no doubt when Reeve is passing any spectator point. For many riders, the goal will be just a finish and every rider who completes the course is cheered home because everyone knows that they have overcome some serious personal challenges, particularly if they are not in the main classes.

Stay tuned, updates from the Championship, whether celebrating victory for Ullevålseter or not, will come!

Zambia is a special place, and locals there are SO friendly. I must say, they are getting their act together. Re-based the Kwacha and banned the US$, thus strengthening their economy.(They should just stop the Chinese flooding the country...

Originally it was mentioned that Pal Anders was invited to go and do the Siavonga 400, now it seems like it is the National Off-road championship near Mazabuka.

When Pål Anders arrived OSL Degrees Moen with his family on Wednesday, they had to wait several hours before they were told by SAS that the plane they would be on to London, was canceled. Thus, they would probably not reach the plane to Lusaka, Zambia. Pål Anders had to be in Zambia's capital later Thursday morning to take part in Friday's rally, and a little hope opened up when he got to be on a different flight to Frankfurt, then flyes on to South Africa and from there to Lusaka. But then also this plane delayed by three hours and when was the last opportunity to reach Lusaka Friday night after all the events in Zambia would be finished.

After half a day with her boyfriend and 9 months. old child at the airport, had family eventually realize that a return home to Ullevålseter was key.

Pål Anders is naturally disappointed, not least on behalf of David Reeve and the gang who had prepared so much for this planned stay.